Dan from Michigan - My first square body C10

[DanInMichigan]

Hi Guys,  I'm Dan from Michigan.  I spotted this Orange '79 C10 in the junk yard (It had just been brought in the day before).  I'm hoping to make a hotrod out of her, but it feels like a shame to yank the drivetrain out of the truck because it looks like most all of the factory parts are there.

1979
Chevy C10
3 on the Tree Manual Transmission
250 CI inline 6 cylinder
Manual steering
Manual brakes
Rubber Floor Mat
Bench Seat
AM Radio
Oil Pressure Gauge
Water Temp Gauge
Voltage Gauge

You don't find trucks in this condition very often in Michigan.  I feel very fortunate to have been able to save this one.  I'm excited for spring so I can drive her!  She will never see a winter on the road as long as I own her!

Dan

[bake74]

     Welcome to the site from California.  That has a nice drive train set up, if you do end up pulling it you should sell it so someone else can use it.

[zieg85]

Awesome find, welcome from NW Indiana.  I'd take all that 3 speed stuff off of you, got an automatic column if you need it...

[DanInMichigan]

I was thinking I might do that (it runs), or I might put it in my '79 C30.  The only reason I would consider putting it in my C30 is for better fuel economy (it has a 350 in it).

The C30 has a 4L80E that I shift electrically with light switches (no computer)  :-)

I'll have to take some pictures of that truck and put them here too.  It also has a 1995 LT1 in it with the fuel injection removed running a carb and HEI.

Dan

LT1 With Carb (Look at the water pump - it is not electric the red wire is an electric temp sensor):

[1982 Daily Driver]

Welcome from South Carolina.

[DanInMichigan]

Thanks for all of the welcomes.  This looks like a great forum.  My first square body was my 1979 C30 Dually.  I fell in love with the truck.  The motor in the C30 when I bought it apparently was missing the balancer bolt.  After owning it about 2 months the balancer flew off and broke the end off the crank (small block, not original).  I had already had a new set of heads and a new cam for that motor ready to go on (I never even thought to check the balancer bolt).  I had an LT1 I had found on Craigslist and I was saving it for a hot rod, but I needed my truck.  So I swapped in the LT1 (The truck came to me with headers).  That swap took quite a bit of work and custom odds and ends (the frame had to be notched in the front to clear a pulley).  The truck ran good - it still had the SM465 granny tranny in it.

I have a bad back and I got a 4l80E really cheap and bought a "full manual" electronic gizmo for it.  I changed the tranny out because I have back problems and the clutch was making it worse every time I drove.

Long story short, I was having a lot of fun with the truck and it became more to me than just a work truck.  I missed drag racing but I knew the C30 was heavy....then I happened upon this C10. 

I'm thinking of sticking a 454 in the C10.  I could also do a 5.3 LM7 motor but for the price I think I'll make more power with the 454.  I may still do a 5.3 or some other LS motor someday.  I'm hoping I can get the truck into the 13's next summer.

Don't know what I'll use for the tranny yet.  The C10 doesn't shift properly right now.  I've been told it's common for the linkage to have problems. 

I like these trucks!  Hopefully I can pass them on to my son someday.

Dan

[blazing816]

Welcome from Southwest Michigan, nice to see more Michigan people joining.

Very nice find, especially for Michigan and for junkyards here. The yards by me barely even have square bodys to pull parts from, and you found a complete truck not picked over yet. Very nice work.

[DustyRusty]

Welcome from Alaska.  Cool old truck.  It has the same rear bumper as mine.  The bed must have been replaced at some time with the newer style as evidenced by the gas filler door on the passenger side.

Rusty

[Jason S]

Howdy from Oklahoma. That pickup looks good compared to many you'd find in southern states.   

The bed must have been replaced at some time with the newer style as evidenced by the gas filler door on the passenger side.

The bed for a '79 should have filler doors.

[LITTLE BLACK TRUCK]

I was thinking I might do that (it runs), or I might put it in my '79 C30.  The only reason I would consider putting it in my C30 is for better fuel economy (it has a 350 in it).

The C30 has a 4L80E that I shift electrically with light switches (no computer)  :-)

I'll have to take some pictures of that truck and put them here too.  It also has a 1995 LT1 in it with the fuel injection removed running a carb and HEI.

Dan

LT1 With Carb (Look at the water pump - it is not electric the red wire is an electric temp sensor):

I would like to see your light switch set up to shift the 4L80E! 

[DanInMichigan]

I got her started now - it will idle ok and sounds like it's hitting on all 6 cylinders.  There's a hesitation somewhat like a worn out accelerator pump, but once it warms up it gets better.  The radiator has a pretty good leak; I'm going to replace that since I have a spare sitting in the garage.

The bad news:  the transmission won't shift worth jack, and the clutch seems totally gone.  I've pulled the second/third linkage arm off the transmission and it still doesn't feel like the shifter wants to move it into first/reverse correctly.  If I manually select first or reverse the tires don't spin when I let out the clutch.  In gear I can turn the driveshaft using a short screwdriver and it sounds like the clutch is slipping while I do that (sound coming from the flywheel area when the engine is off).

I was hoping to at least have it able to pull in and out of the garage under it's own power...but not without more work :-(

Well I wanted an automatic anyway, so now it'll be sooner rather than later.

Anyone know how difficult it is to change the column from a manual to an automatic?


Dan

[DanInMichigan]

Here's a link to my post discussing the 4l80e no-computer transmission setup:

http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php/topic,25511.0.html